1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to bearing mounting arrangements and, more particularly, to a plastic bearing mounting arrangement.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
The shaft mounting of a bearing member having inner and outer races to fix the outer race relative to its housing has been a problem existent in the bearing art for a very long time. One arrangement for preventing rotation of the outer race of the bearing, for example, and the one presently utilized by the assignee of this invention, utilizes a corrugated split substantially cylindrical flexible piece which is inserted in the bearing housing bore. The bearing is then inserted inside this piece and the flexible corrugations maintain the outer race of the bearing fixed to its housing.
However, proper alignment of the bearing, corrugated flexible piece and bearing bore are somewhat difficult and require a tedious manual assembly line operation which is not always successful. All other known bearing mounting arrangements also suffer some basic disadvantages when viewed in the light of an inexpensive as is molded product in which its housing must accurately provide for a bearing mounting structure.
Accordingly, it is an advantage of the invention to provide an improved bearing mounting arrangement.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved bearing arrangement in a molded housing.
It is a still further object of the invention to integrally fix a dimension stabilizing ring in a molded housing so that a bearing may be successfully mounted in this same housing.
It is an even further object of the invention to provide a force fit between a molded housing and its inserted bearing to fix the bearing accurately within the bearing.